Whether you are looking at a large wiring or rewiring job or a smaller and seemingly simple outlet installation, you should think twice before attempting to do it yourself. There are just too many safety and performance issues related to electricity that you need to consider and, for the safety of yourself and your family, having the job done and done right the first time can save you the heartache of fire or personal injury that, unfortunately, is directly associated with do-it-yourself electrical projects.

One of the nasty little problems that comes up with DIY repairs is that the vast majority of them do not meet local or state code! While that may not seem important to you, there are a couple of things you need to consider. First of all, that local or state code is law and is established to be the absolute minimum set of standards established to protect you and your family from fire, shock, or other electrical hazards. Secondly, while the sale of your home is not on the front burner right at this moment, if you ever do decide to sell your home, electrical appliances, wiring, switches, and outlets that are not up to code will almost certainly be caught on a home inspection thus hampering or cancelling the sale offer you are hoping to close.

Here’s just a couple of things to consider: Perhaps you have an electrical outlet that has gone bad. It is such an easy job, you think to yourself, as you rush to the hardware and pick up one of the low cost backstabbed outlets available all over. Did you know that they are a fire hazard and should not be used at all in your home? And, how about, for example, the seemingly simple task of tapping into an existing line to add an electrical outlet outside your home so you can add a timer to your sprinkler. Should be a piece of cake project, right? Well, there’s more to it than you might think. A certified Rochester electrician will help you though the process which includes checking the circuit to make sure it will handle the additional requirements to drive that sprinkler timer. If it isn’t and you had used it in your DIY project, you could have set up a situation where the circuit breaker could overheat, resulting in a fire! Of course, you have to use a special outlet for an outdoor installation, even if it seems like it would be sheltered from rain and snow. But, as a certified Rochester electrician will tell you, the installation will have to go beyond just buying the outlet at a home improvement store and slapping it on the wall. You may, for example, have to run wires through your wall to where you want to install it and there are codes that govern how that must be done for your safety. A certified rlectrician will know what those codes are and will abide by them. Your safety is first with us.

Oh, and of course you knew that the outdoor outlet must be installed with a GFI, right? Yes, that Ground Fault Interrupter is mandatory and, if improperly installed, could easily lead to a fatal electrical shock to you, one of your precious family, or even one of your neighbor’s kids! If ever there was a compelling reason to hire a certified Rochester electrician, this has to be it!
Don’t ever take electricity for granted! There are too many things that can go wrong when someone who is not a certified Rochester electrician is attempting a repair or an installation. You really, really need to choose the right person for the job, someone who is a certified Rochester electrician. Of course, at Lon Lockwood Electric, we would love it if you would call us to assure that the repair or installation is done with your safety foremost in mind. But, if you don’t choose us, we beg you to call someone who is qualified and certified to accomplish this task for you. After all, our primary concern is you!